Foxcatcher:
Mark Schultz is a freelance wrestler who is down on his luck. Despite winning Olympic Gold, he is living in a rut, and in the shadow of his brother Dave, who is also an Olympic Gold winner. That is, until one evening Mark is contacted by associates of John du Pont, a mysterious and eccentric billionaire, who is organizing a private team of wrestlers called Team Foxcatcher, after his family's estate Foxcatcher Farms. Mark is enticed by du Pont's extravagant offers and decides to join the team, although he doesn't realize what he's gotten himself into until it's far too late.
Channing Tatum is exceptional here as Mark Schultz; definitely the best performance of his career. He's able to bring forward an emotional intensity I've never seen from him, and his role was also very physically demanding, which he is able to pull off while never having it overshadow his emotional side. Mark Ruffalo is terrific as his supportive and skilled brother Dave. He is an actor who I always expect great things from, and he certainly delivers here. I respect Miller's attention to detail on the two, having the stars bulk up with similar physiques and wear prosthetic ears to really sell the idea that they are brothers. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, and I'd say they are the best duo of thee film, if not for one other character. Steve Carrell is really surprising as du Pont. He is able to be eccentric, inadvertently funny, creepy, intimidating, vulnerable, and pathetic, often back-to-back. Really a powerhouse performance, and I'd be glad to see Carrell pursue more dramatic work in the future after seeing him here. He and Tatum play off each other extremely well, and they are the best duo of thee film, if you could even call them that. The film is really a character study about their relationship, which is at times similar to a father-son/mentor-student archetype, then shifts to a creepy symbiotic relationship with shades of homoeroticism (which the real Schultz has criticized). Even if the last part isn't entirely accurate to real-life events, it still makes for a fascinating character relationship. Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, and Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club, Tales from the Crypt, Weird Science) also have supporting roles, and all do satisfactory jobs, with Redgrave playing du Pont's emotionally detached mother, with whom he has an extremely dysfunctional and sad relationship.
Despite the main cast being superb and with nearly no flaws in their performances, the pacing of the film is a bit off. While there's no scenes that could have been cut without ruining the plot structure, the film definitely feels like it drags it's feet a little too often, and this can make it feel bloated at times.
The cinematography by Greig Fraser was crisp and precise, and gave the film this cold, clinical tone that fit it perfectly. The music by Rob Simonsen and West Dylan Thordson wasn't anything spectacular, but it was well done and matched the mood of the movie.
This isn't Bennett Miller's best work, but I think it is still a film that everyone should see once, and it is emotionally gripping from start to finish. Don't read much about it before you see it, as it is based on a true story and there will probably be spoilers online about it if you look it up, so just go see the film. Foxcatcher is one of the better movies of 2014, that explores ideas about how competitive sports affect people's lives and relationships and minds, how dysfunctional family relationships affect people, and even how being rich and powerful doesn't necessarily lead to a good or fulfilling life. 4/5 stars.
(Image: Wikipedia)
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